Abstract
Within two Flemish institutes of pre-service and inservice teacher education, the relationship between the learning styles and preferences for learning environments of pre-service teachers were examined. Results indicate that some components of pre-service teachers' learning approaches (learning conceptions, learning strategies and learning orientations) are predictors for preferences for constructivist learning environments. Differences in learning approaches and preferences for learning environments are also related to the type of teacher education that pre-service teachers followed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anderson, R. C. (1984). Some reflections on the acquisition of knowledge. Educational Researcher, 13(9), 5–10.
Biggs, J. B. (1987). Student approaches to learning and studying. Melbourne, Australia: Australian Council for Educational Research.
Boekaerts, M. (1997). Self-regulated learning: A new concept embraced by researchers, policy makers, educators, teachers and students. Learning and Instruction, 7, 133–149.
Bollen, K. A. (1989). Structural equations with latent variables. New York: Wiley.
Brown, J. S., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational Researcher, 18(1), 32–43.
Busato, V. V., Prins, F. J., Elshout, J. J., & Hamaker, C. (1998). Learning styles: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study in higher education. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 68, 427–441.
Calderhead, J., & Robson, M. (1991). Images of teaching: Student teachers' early conceptions of classroom practice. Teaching & Teacher Education, 7, 1–8.
Donche, V., & Van Petegem, P. (2004). Leerstijlenonderzoek in het kader van onderwijsinnovatie: Slagen en mislukken bij eerstejaars [Learning style research in the context of educational change: Study success and failure of first year students]. Delta: Tijdschrift voor Hoger Onderwijs, 1(1), 17–24.
Elen, J., & Lowyck, J. (2000). Instructional metacognitive knowledge: A qualitative study on conceptions of freshmen about instruction. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 32, 421–444.
Entwistle, N. (1988). Motivational factors in students' approaches to learning. In R. R. Schmeck (Ed.), Learning strategies and learning styles (pp. 21–51). New York: Plenum Press.
Entwistle, N., & Ramsden, P. (1983). Understanding student learning. London: Croom Helm.
Entwistle, N., & Tait, H. (1990). Approaches to learning, evaluations of teaching and preferences for contrasting academic environments. Higher Education, 19, 169–194.
Entwistle, N., & Tait, H. (1993, April). Approaches to studying and preferences for teaching in higher education: Implications for student ratings. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Atlanta, GA.
Flavell, J. H. (1987). Speculations about the nature and development of metacognition. In F. E. Weinert & R. H. Kluwe (Eds.), Metacognition, motivation and understanding (pp. 21–29). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Hollingsworth, S. (1989). Prior beliefs and cognitive change in learning to teach. American Educational Research Journal, 26, 160–189.
Huibregtse, I., Korthagen, F., & Wubbels, T. (1994). Physics teachers' conceptions of learning, teaching and professional development. International Journal of Science Education, 16, 539–561.
Kagan, D. (1992). Professional growth among preservice and beginning teachers. Review of Educational Research, 62, 129–169.
Lortie, D. C. (1975). Schoolteacher: A sociological study. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Lowyck, J., & Elen, J. (1993). Transitions in the theoretical foundations of instructional design. In T. M. Duffy, J. Lowyck, & D. H. Jonassen (Eds.), Designing environments for constructive learning (pp. 213–230). New York: Springer Verlag.
Marton, F., & Säljö, R. (1976). On qualitative differences in learning – outcome and process. British. Journal of Educational Psychology, 46, 4–11.
Oosterheert, I. (2001). How student teachers learn: A psychological perspective on knowledge construction in learning to teach. Doctoral dissertation, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
Ost, D. H. (1989). The culture of teaching: Stability and change. The Educational Forum, 53, 163–181.
Pajares, M. F. (1992). Teachers' beliefs and educational research: Cleaning up a messy product. Review of Educational Research, 62, 307–332.
Pask, G. (1976). Styles and strategies of learning. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 49, 128–148.
Peltonen, A., & Niemivirta, M. (1999, August). Motivation, self-regulation and perception of the learning environment. Paper presented at the 8th European Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Powell, R. R. (1992). The influence of prior experiences on pedagogical constructs of traditional and non-traditional preservice teachers. Teacher & Teacher Education, 8, 225–238.
Richardson, J. T. E. (1996). The role of attitudes and beliefs in learning to teach. In J. Sikula (Ed.), Handbook of research on teacher education (pp. 102–119). New York, Macmillan.
Richardson, J. T. E. (2000). Researching student learning: Approaches to studying in campus-based and distance education. Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.
Roelofs, E. C., Van der Linden, J. L., & Erkens, G. (2000). Leren in dialoog: Een discussie over samenwerkend leren in onderwijs en opleiding [Learning in dialogue: A discussion about cooperative learning in education and training]. In J. L. van der Linden & E. C. Roelofs (Eds.), Leren in dialoog (pp. 7–34). Groningen. The Netherlands: Wolters-Noordhoff.
Roelofs, E. C., & Visser, J. J. C. M. (2000, May). Leeromgevingen volgens ouders en leraren: Voorkeuren en realisatie [Parents and teachers about learning environments: Preferences and realization]. Paper presented at the 27th Onderwijs Research Dagen, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Roelofs, E., & Visser, J. (2001). Leeromgevingen volgens ouders en leraren: Voorkeuren en realisatie [Parents and teachers about learning environments: Preferences and realization]. Pedagogische Studiën, 78, 151–168.
Severiens, S. E., & Ten Dam, G. T. M. (1997). Gender and gender identity differences in learning styles. Educational Psychology, 17, 79–93.
Shuell, T. J. (1996). Teaching and learning in a classroom context. In D. C. Berliner & R. C. Calfee (Eds.), Handbook of educational psychology (pp. 376–391). New York: Simon & Schuster, Macmillan.
Slavin, R. E. (1995). Cooperative learning: Theory, research and practice. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Stofflett, R., & Stoddart, T. (1994). The ability to understand and use conceptual change pedagogy as a function of prior content learning experience. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31, 31–51.
Tabachnick, B., & Zeichner, K. (1984). The impact of the student teaching experience on the development of teacher perspectives. Journal of Teacher Education, 35(6), 28–36.
Vermetten, Y. J., Lodewijks, H. G., & Vermunt, J. D. (1999). Consistency and variability of learning strategies in different university courses. Higher Education, 37, 1–21.
Vermunt, J. (1996). Metacognitive, cognitive and affective aspects of learning styles and strategies: A phenomenographic analysis. Higher Education, 31, 25–50.
Vermunt, J. D. (1998). The regulation of constructive learning processes. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 68, 149–171.
Vermunt, J. D., & Minnaert, A. (2003). Dissonance in student learning patterns; when to revise theory? Studies in Higher Education, 28, 49–61.
Vermunt, J., & Verschaffel, L. (2000). Process-oriented teaching. In R. J. Simons, J. van der Linden, & T. Duffy (Eds.), New learning (pp. 209–225). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer.
Vosniadou, S. (1994). Capturing and modelling the process of conceptual change. Learning and Instruction, 4, 45–69.
Ward, J. H. (1963). Hierarchical grouping to optimise an objective function. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 58, 236–244.
Weinstein, C. S. (1989). Teacher education students' preconceptions of teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 40(2), 53–60.
Wideen, M., Mayer-Smith, J., & Moon, B. (1998). A critical analysis of the research on learning to teach: Making the case for an ecological perspective on inquiry. Review of Educational Research, 68, 130–178.
Wierstra, R. F. A., & Beerends, E. P. M. (1996). Leeromgevingspercepties en leerstrategieën van eerstejaars studenten sociale wetenschappen [Perceptions of learning environments and learning strategies of first year students in social sciences]. Tijdschrift voor Onderwijsresearch, 21, 300–322.
Wierstra, R. F., Kanselaar, G., Van der Linden, J. L., Lodewijks, H. G., & Vermunt, J. D. (2003). The impact of the university context on European students' learning approaches and learning environment preferences. Higher Education, 45(4), 503–523.
Wubbels, T. (1992). Taking account of student teachers' preconceptions. Teaching & Teacher Education, 8, 137–149.
Zeichner, K., & Liston, D. (1987). Teaching student teachers to reflect. Harvard Educational Review, 57, 23–48.
Zimmerman, B. J. (2001). Theories of self-regulated learning and academic achievement: An overview and analysis. In B. J. Zimmerman & D. H. Schunk (Eds.), Self-regulated learning and academic achievement. Theoretical perspectives (pp. 1–37). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Van Petegem, P., Donche, V. & Vanhoof, J. Relating Pre-Service Teachers' Approaches to Learning and Preferences for Constructivist Learning Environments. Learning Environ Res 8, 309–332 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-005-1564-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-005-1564-7